Rail-clamping mechanism



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Patented July 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT-OFF1CE.

DANIEL W. WALTER, OF BEAVER SPRINGS, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-OLAMIEING MECHANISM.

Application filed September 22, 1925. Serial No. 57,852.

which will serve the further function of aid ing in properly positioning or gauging the rail.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, showing a. portion of a railroad tie and showing the rail in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sec tional view through the structure.

Fig. i is a horizontal sectional View upon line 4.i of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view upon line 55 of Fig. 3 and Fig. 6 is a detail view of a locking key hereinafter described.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all'of the figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, 5 designates a railroad tie and 6, a chair, adapted to be connected to the tie by spikes 7, though it is to be understood that the elements carried by the chair may be incorporated directly in a tie of suitable construction, if desired.

The rail, indicated at 8, rests upon the chair and its base flange 9 is engaged by the overlapping portions 10 of wedge clamping plates 11. These plates are referred to as wedge plates because their overlapping portions 10 have wedging engagement with the inclined upper faces of the base flange 9 as said plates 11 are moved toward the web 12 of the rail.

This inward wedging movement is brought about when the clamping plates 11 are slid transversely across the chair 6, due to the fact that these plates are provided with T-shaped portions 13, which engage in correspondingly shaped slots 14 of the chair 6, said slots being disposed at an angle with respect to the line of the rail. The rear edges of the T-shaped portions 13 are notched or toothed as indicated at 15 (see Fig. 5), for engagement by ribs 16 upon locking keys 1'7; the latter being received in vertical openings 17', formed in the chair 6. Each key 17 lies between the ears 18, of a fixed bracket 19, and is held against accidental dislodgment by a transverse pin 20 which traverses the locking key and said ears. Each locking key is provided with an overhanging shoulder 21 adapted to be engaged by a tool when the key is to be lifted to free the corresponding wedge plate 11.

By referring to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the rib 16 is disposed at a slight angle so that as the locking key is driven into position it, of itself, exerts a cam action upon the wedge clamping plates to move them to final and tightly adjusted position.

To aid in holding the clamping plates firmly in adjusted position, I provide bolts 22, having angular heads 23 which move in correspondingly shaped channels 2 1 of the chair. Nuts 25, threaded upon these bolts, bear upon toothed washers 26, the teeth of which are adapted to engage teeth 27 formed along an edge of recesses 28, lo-

cated in the upper faces of the clamping plates. To permit the necessary back and forth movement of the plates 11, they are provided with slots 29, through which the bolts 22 pass.

However, it is to be understood that the bolt 22 and associated parts may be omitted, if desired and the T-head 13 and locking key made heavy enough and powerful enough to perform all necessary locking functions without the use of said bolt 22. Since each clamping wedge plate may be adjusted independently of the companion wedge plate, the rail may be adjusted bodily laterally by proper movement of such wedge plates. This aids in gauging the rail.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but that it includes within its purview wl'iatever, changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a rail support having dovetailed, angularly disposed ways formed transversely thereacross, clamping wedge plates having portions shaped to fit within said ways, said last named portions being provided With a series of teeth and Wedge locking keys adapted to pass vertically through the rail support and to act upon said teeth.

2. A structure as recited in claim 1, Wherein said rail support is provided with additional dove-tailed Ways, extending transversely thereacross, bolts having angular heads disposed in said dove-tailed Ways and 10 projecting through the clamping Wedge plates, toothed Washers through Which said bolts pass, teeth formed upon the clamping Wedge plates for engagement by the teeth of the Washers and nuts upon the clamping Wedge plates for engagement by the teeth of the Washers and nuts upon the bolts and bearing upon said Washers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DANIEL W. WALTER. 

